Gossamer Gear…

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I have the new 2009 Squall Classic and love it–a really neat, streamlined tent–but I haven't had a chance to use it in severe weather yet. I plan to report back in late August after my upcoming trip to Wyoming's Wind Rivers. It would be pretty snug for 2 full-sized people, but it's quite ample for me plus my 80-lb. dog. Seam sealing is quite easy; follow the directions on the Tarptent.com website. Do test it with a hose afterwards to be sure! (Good idea with any tent.) Any adjustable trekking pole will work with it. The length needed for this tent is 105 cm. For me that's perfect because that's the length I use for hiking. I found that I need to paint more nonskid stripes on the floor; I spent a lot of time chasing my NeoAir around the tent at night. A really tall person probably couldn't sit up in this tent, but for me it's just right.

If you're looking for a pack with a frame that's quite a bit lighter than the Nimbus Ozone, take a look at the Six Moon Designs packs. Be sure to get them with the "optional" (mandatory, IMHO) aluminum stays. They'll carry up to 35 lbs. and have load-lifters which really help to keep the straps from pulling on your shoulders (which I found a problem with the now discontinued Gossamer Gear Mariposa). A lot depends on how much weight you put into the pack and your individual build.

I have their LT4 poles and their Murmur pack. I like 'em both a lot. The Murmur is a small pack, too small I've found for a five day trip, but plenty big enough for my gear for a typical one or two nighter, even three. It's wicked light. Plus the pad that comes with it that gives it structure works great as a sit pad and it's what I put under my feet at night since I use a torso length NeoAir. I don't have their Squall Classic bit I have a Tarptent Squall 2 and a TT Contrail which are fairly similar. Great tents.

G

I have a Nimbus Ozone and a GG Mariposa Plus, retrofitted with the aluminum stay.

The Mariposa Plus is a great pack – carries up to 30 lbs comfortably. You have to keep the load balanced, and bear canisters can be a total pain, but it's quite manageable. For lighter loads you can remove the hip belt entirely. You can use clothing as padding in the straps and belt, or take the thick foam inserts. Use a sleeping pad in the frame, or use the sit pad that comes with the pack. Use the stays, or take them out.

LT4s are nice poles. I've used them to pitch my tarp on the ground. The only issue has been marmots chewing the cork. :P

I have a GG Gorilla Pack, a Granite Gear Vapor Trail AND a Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone. With loads up to 25 pounds or so, the Gorilla Pack is my preferred choice. With similar weight but more bulk (think cooler weather insulation), the Vapor Trail is my choice. Above 25 lbs, the Nimbus Ozone.

All are comfortable, but the Gorilla Pack does what the other packs do for significantly less weight and with better organization thanks to the external mesh pockets.

I don't think Gossamer Gear will seam seal for you. I asked them to do it when I was considering getting The One from them and they said no.

As for their packs, I haven't tried any. The new stays should be nice and the fact you can fold up a nightlight torso to fit for a back panel should be comfy. You can also check out ULA and sixmoons for other packs like gossamer gear ones.

Henry Shires WILL seam seal for you. I was very pleased with the customer service so far. The tent arrived at my door about 4 days after I ordered it seam sealed and ready to go.

I paid $20 extra to have it sealed but im not sure if it varies from tent to tent. I was in the same boat as you. I dont trust myself to seal it up properly so it was well worth the $20. I just have to test it out with a hose to make sure everything is ship shape.

And I totally hear you about the backpacks. I am in the same situation right now. All the lightweight packs ive been trying just hurt my lower back. Maybe because I have a long torso.

Seam sealing sil-nylon tents is no big deal. Henry has a little blurb about it on this page.

I’m no Picaso, in fact I pretty much just slop the slurry on there. Once dry it doesn’t look bad at all though.

The Squall Classic is spinaker fabric, so I don’t know if the GE silicone/mineral spirits cocktail works for that. Gossamer recomends Silnet which I haven’t used. Perhaps someone could chime in about how easy the Silnet is to work with and if you could cut that stuff with mineral spirits.

G

I just sealed seams of a hommeade ULTarp using the 5yds.-of-material-plans found under MYOG articles at this site. Just squeeze out a small blob and spread it along the seam with the little brush. After about a foot you have become an expert sealer. I did the inside seam when the tarp was pitched and used my finger to spread the sealant. (You are supposed to seal both sides) You can thin it with mineral spirits, if you wish. 100% clear silicone is found in tubes in the paint sections of hardware stores.
Self-sealing is not hard, just time consuming. I have done lots of it and never had a leak.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/make_your_own_gear_5_yards_to_sul_part_3.html

PS I highly recommend a lighter frameless pack. Use the Ozone in winter.
Granite Gear makes them, too. ULA-Equipment makes nice ones.

Good, 100%, GE silicone mixes well with mineral spirits, provided you have patience. Silnet is just high quality silicone. Spinaker is sealed with silicone. It's a match.

For seam sealing I use a 3:1 (spirits:silicone) mixture by weight, and mix with a variable speed drill motor and a coat hanger bent into the shape of a 'J'. Even then it can take five minutes to get a uniform mixture. But it does happen.

I load the result into a 5cc syringe body (no needle) for precise flow and control. You can watch the mix flow into the treads and into the seam. I do both sides of the stitching, but not the fabric edges of the seams. When it dries (24-72 hours depending on local conditions and how soon you are going to stuff it)it is nearly invisible.

I used McNett Silnet diluted 1:1 with odorless mineral spirits on my GG Squall Classic. The GE Silicone sealant used in the "Tarptent mixture" is exactly the same as but is thicker than Silnet, so requires more dilution. I'll be using undiluted Silnet to paint more and bigger spots on the floor in hopes of not having to chase my NeoAir around the tent all night. I suggest leaving the tent up 24 hours after seam sealing to let the stuff set, or at least hang it up somewhere. However, I have folded a silnylon tent after only 4-5 hours–there was some sticking together of the fabric but no harm done pulling it apart later. And when, during a trip, I found a spot I hadn't sealed properly (on a SMD Lunar Solo) and used the sealant in the McNett silicone patch kit to fix it, the sealant had only 2 hours to cure before the next thunderstorm but stopped the leak very nicely. (Now you know why I recommend using a hose on the tent to test your seam sealing!)

On a hot breezy day, the mineral spirits evaporate quickly and you'll have to keep mixing in more every few minutes. A cool early morning is a better time to do your sealing.

Gossamer Gear's recommendation to put the spinnaker tent into the dryer (no heat, air only) with a couple of tennis balls for about 15 minutes has taken care of the considerable noise of the spinnaker fabric. I did this before seam sealing. Now the only thing that rattles is the stuff sack, which I neglected to put into the dryer with the tent. This method should work for any other spinnaker item. GG claims that the fabric gets a bit stronger as it softens.

You'll undoubtedly be able to do a better job seam-sealing on your own than if you had the manufacturer do it. Henry Shires of Tarptent admits that he sets up several tents at a time and has a teenager slop the stuff on in a hurry, so it won't be as careful a job, and will probably use more sealant (= more added weight). I definitely am not artistic or crafty (poor small muscle control), but this is pretty easy job for me.

I’m sure the drill/coat hanger works well. I’ve never had a problem just using a stick though. I mix the two in a clean tuna can. It takes a few minutes but not very long. I don’t worry about getting it silky smooth, it’s more of a slurry as Henry describes it here. A little lumpy is OK.

Also, I wouldn’t seal the inside of a tent, the outside alone should be more than adequate. Many people get by without sealing at all. Some don’t even know they should.

Gordon,

You find the sitlite gives your Murmur enough structure? I have a Gorilla, and would like to drop the frame for my upcoming trip, but since I use a NeoAir, I was wondering if the sitlite pad alone would provide enough structure for a 17 lb pack (w/food&water). It's hard to tell just wearing it in my apt for an hour.

Hi James,
Yes, I actually over packed the Murmur to 23 lbs once and it still worked fine. Not quite as comfy as my Vapor Trail at that weight but I didn't expect it to be. The Murmur seems best around 17-18 lbs or less. I don't have a Gorilla but I would think at 17 you should be fine with just the pad. Email Gossamer I'll bet they have an opinion.

G

re: Fred's comment that you're supposed to seal both sides…

From Roger Caffin's post on 9-26-07 in another thread:

(http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/make_your_own_gear_sealing_silnylon_seams.html?forum_thread_id=9431&disable_pagination=1)

(Question) > i was going to erect tent then seal seam from the inside -is this practical?

(Answer) Potentially dangerous! The build-up of solvent vapour inside the tent could be lethal.
I have used undiluted silicone sealant inside a tent – that's OK.

Timothy, you may want to check this out a bit more so you don't kill brain cells or worse. You could just go undiluted on the inside, but I've read many comments that it is very difficult (too thick).

Here's a tip from that same thread:

to keep freshly sealed seams from sticking to the material when the tarp or whatever is stuffed the first few times, I rub the seams with sidewalk chalk (after they're dry, of course). Sidewalk chalk is odorless, doesn't get all over everything (you rub it on the seams–you don't have to pour it out of a jar), and you can even match the color of the material. It rubs off after the first use or two, once it's done the job.

I also use sidewalk chalk on sap. It doesn't remove it, but it renders it permanently non-sticky. This beats my old method of rubbing dirt into the sap.

Good Luck!